ily. There might not be extra money for presents but families get together to sing and even stay up all night accompanied by the melodies of traditional Christmas, salsa and merengue music. Dancing is also key - I continue to practice my salsa skills!
The novenas, originally from the Catholic tradition, are popular here. In the 9 days leading up to Christmas, families gather together every night to say prayers and sing villancicos, popular Christmas songs that kids sing about Jesus' birth. I had the privilege of hearing a parrot singing a phrase of one a few days ago: 'The virgin Mary is brushing her hair, getting ready for the joooouurney'. Oohh, I laughed so hard! It made my day. People of other Christian denominations pray and recite poems related to Jesus' birth, family, love and unity. Amanda gave me a CD of some villancicos for my birthday and I was so excited. Unfortunately I still haven't had the chance to listen to them. I'll have to do that today.
It's interesting to see the same icicle lights and brightly lit up houses here in Colombia! Of course, I couldn't be left out: I bought some white icicle lights to adorn my house. Companies around Ibague also have enormous light set-ups, and the parks shine with an array of coloured lights. For example, Tolima's hydro company set up an enormous boat adorned with bright lights and tinsel. Walking around in a central park, I saw couples walking hand in hand looking around in awe at the lights, families buying mango slices or corn on the cob, street vendors selling chiclets and candies: a mix of the hope for joy at Christmas and montages of daily life here in Ibague.
Pictures: right: Amanda with her parents enjoy the Christmas lights in Ibague. Below, a street vendor walks the main street in Bogota.
Colombian Christmas food is quite different: Christmas desserts include natilla (custard-like with milk, a box mix, sugar and cinnamon) and buñuelos (deep-fried breadballs), brevas (figs), papaya and lime skins in a sugar syrup (absolutely delectable), a pineapple custard... main course includes pollo relleno (stuffed 
chicken), potato salad with peas and sausage, rice...I shared some Canadian flavours with some apple cider, gingerbread cookies and strata, a traditional family breakfast.
On Dec. 24 we had our Christmas service at the church, as Colombians celebrate Christmas on this day. The kids received their gifts, we had a time to sing, a drama and a special Christmas dinner after. Things didn't go exactly as planned: the power went out right after the drama and didn't come back on. We scrambled to find candles and mustered up about 10 to light our labours preparing for the dinner. At first, Amanda didn't want to hand out the gifts, afraid of handing out the wrong gifts to the wrong kids, but in the end candlelight pulled through. The man preparing the pollo relleno was backed up and the meat arrived 1 hour late. In the midst of this, people pitched in: one woman carved the meat by candlelight while another scooped rice and potato salad onto disposable plates. Another served gaseosa (pop) and us girls on the worship team sang some songs. Gloria entoned her own version of Silent Night : 'silent night...night without light...' My Christmas was quite unique. Picture: Natilla and bunuelos.
For me, the most special part was seeing how everyone pitched in and brought food for the dinner; a pound of rice here, 5 
pounds of potatoes there, onions, sausages...etc. Unfortunately, the people in charge of preparing it arrived late, but they succeeded in pulling off a wicked potato salad!!! And how the food multiplied! The dinner was wonderful, especially thinking that many families wouldn't have been able to have a special dinner in their home. The church has struggled with people taking ownership and helping out, I hope this commitment keeps growing. There's so many gifts in the community, but discovering and putting them to use take more time and effort.
Picture: People enjoyed plates of rice, potato salad and pork. Gloria (r) is part of the microempresa and has been in the church for at least 1 1/2 years.
Our Christmas drama rocked - Joseph is shocked to find out about Mary's pregnancy through Facebook, and immediately calls her cell phone. Baby Jesus was a girl, because she was the only baby in the church! We sang Hoy es Navidad , the Spanish version of Jingle Bells at the nativity scene. It was last-minute but people seemed to enjoy it, I hope they could take it all in, and be reminded of the amazing gift that Jesus is to the world...not only for salvation but for showing us how to create His kingdom on earth made of love, justice and solidarity.
Pictures: Mary and Joseph are awaiting the baby!! (right) the 3 magi were women this year. :)
Every year, Amanda makes sure to buy gifts for kids who have attended church during the year. This year, 100 kids in 3 communities in Ibague received gifts. For some, this is the only gift they will receive. I heard they'd received Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes 2 years in a row, having done that in Canada, it was interesting to know exactly where the boxes go. People haven't stopped raving about them and the many gifties stowed inside. I have strong concerns about organizations that appear to just 'give' things: food, clothes, gifts, etc. but these boxes brought kids so much joy. 'How organizations work' : another theme for another day.
Pictures below: Martinica is a community set in the Ibaguerenan mountains, a community Amanda has been accompanying for 10 years. Several women made masato and empanadas, traditional foods here, and Amanda complemented the celebration with the gifts. These kids are a joy to be with...so attentive, polite.
After the service in Modelia, we came back to Amanda and Daniel's house, and waited till midnight to open gifts...then, at 1:30am we set out for Amanda's parents' house. Here in Colombia people apparently don't sleep at all the 24th. We stayed there till 4:30am when we finally dragged ourselves back home to sleep till 10am. Along the way, I saw people with their stereos out on the street, people sitting in plastic chairs, enjoying their cerveza, being outside or dancing with family.
Christmas finished without really seeming like Christmas...being far from family, not celebrating Advent, not being able to experience novenas, or reading the Christmas story, hearing messages related to Christmas...so I have to remind myself that I can celebrate Christmas all year round – December festivities are only the beginning of a year-round celebration of Jesus' life. Therefore...i can still wish you who read this a...
FELIZ NAVIDAD!!! May Jesus be present in your life this coming year, guiding your actions and attitudes towards love and justice.
